Nobel Prize winner says Venezuela has ‘unique’ $1.7 trillion opportunity to privatize its companies and reverse socialist ‘disaster’

Appears practically in Luck At the “Venezuela Struggle for Freedom” event, Machado, currently in hiding from the Maduro regime, unveiled a bold vision for rebuilding Venezuela’s shattered economy through large-scale private investment. “Venezuela will be the single largest economic opportunity for decades to come in this region,” she said. luckDiane Brady in the 2025 version of Global Forum. “We’re talking about an opportunity, a business opportunity, worth more than $1.7 trillion. This is unique.” Machado has floated the $1.7 trillion figure before Product estimation with its economic advisory team.

From ruin to renewal

Machado painted a stark picture of a nation descending from prosperity to poverty: “The country that was the richest country in our region and the freest country in our region has turned into one of the poorest countries.” She said that decades of being under socialist rule had crippled industry, destroyed infrastructure, and caused a mass exodus of nearly a third of Venezuela’s population. “Our economy has collapsed. It’s down over 80% in the last (several) years,” she said. “Our people had to flee just to survive.”

the The International Monetary Fund estimates Venezuela’s economy is down nearly 75% as of late 2022, which also covers the migrant crisis. Leftist think tank Center for Economic and Political ResearchHe claimed shortly after that while that number was accurate, it did not rule out the tough economic sanctions the United States has imposed on Venezuela for many years.

The opposition leader described to Brady what she called a “terrorist narco-state” built on repression and corruption, saying, “It is certain that Venezuela has turned into a safe haven for criminal activities from all over the world.” It accused Maduro and his allies of financing their grip on power through gold smuggling, arms and drug smuggling, and human exploitation.

Privatization scheme

At the heart of Machado’s plan is a rapid and transparent privatization process. She estimates that more than 500 companies have been “seized, expropriated, and destroyed by the regime, but the infrastructure is there.” She pledged strict oversight and the rule of law from “day one,” with the aim of attracting investors back through stability and financial incentives. She pledged open markets and a “very strict” approach in terms of the rule of law and transparency, reminding Brady that Venezuela currently ranks last in the world. Rule of law. Let’s take one example, Global Justice Project Venezuela was recently ranked 142 out of 142 countries.

She also noted that Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves and the world’s eighth-largest natural gas reserves, “but our people currently do not even have gas to even cook. This is a disaster.” Bloomberg reported In December 2024, Venezuelans were turning to firewood and even their own furniture to cook after an explosion at a propane plant eliminated most of the country’s transmission. “The socialist system has rotted,” she said.

She added that restoring the oil and gas sectors will require foreign capital and the return of the Venezuelan diaspora. “Our human talent, our people, our diaspora…are ready to come back as soon as Venezuela starts working hard.”

A call to investors and allies

Machado said she would welcome responsible private investment from “all over the world” — including the United States, Europe, China and the Middle East — provided all projects commit to transparency and fair competition. Speaking from Riyadh, she indicated a strong interest in partnerships with Gulf states.

It also called for the formation of an international front to uncover and freeze assets linked to the Maduro circle. “We ask all democratic countries around the world… to fully disclose all information available to them regarding all crimes committed by Nicolas Maduro and his associates,” she said.

Despite living in hiding, Machado has been resolute about Venezuela’s future. “If the regime finds me, I will probably disappear,” she said matter-of-factly, revealing a hint of emotion, but quickly adding that her risks and struggles are no different from those of any Venezuelan speaking out at this moment. “I want you to know that I am absolutely convinced that we are moving towards a transition that will be orderly, that Venezuela is a cohesive society, that we do not have any racial, religious, social or political tensions, and 90% of our country wants the same thing, to live with dignity, with justice, and certainly with freedom, and we want to bring our children home.”